Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC), in collaboration with Bethune-Cookman College, University of Central Florida, Florida A&M University, Whitney Laboratory of the University of Florida, and Stetson University, proposes to give basic training in biomedical research at the community college level for underrepresented minority students and, upon graduation, bridge them to a baccalaureate institution. The goal of the program is to increase the number of minorities who graduate with a science degree and pursue a biomedical career. To achieve this goal, DBCC will recruit 20 minority students each year for 3 years. Student retention strategies include, but are not limited to, academic advising, counseling and tutoring. Bridge students will take a Bridge-specific Research Methods course and will work on research projects at DBCC. The students will also gain experience by working in the teaching laboratories as laboratory assistants. Research faculty from the partner institutions will give guest lectures in the Bridge-specific Research Methods Course. During summer, each Bridge student will be paired with a research preceptor from one of the five partner institutions to do research in the laboratory for 10 weeks. Students will present their research work at regional and national scientific meetings. The Bridge program at DBCC will also [unreadable] establish and host an internet server for the use of Bridge students all across the nation. This site will be used by Bridge students to network among themselves, discuss their research programs with their peers, and to learn about other institutions, especially the four-year colleges or universities where they would like to pursue their higher education. Other activities that will promote an interest and knowledge in science include Science Expo at DBCC where students will present their research work to faculty and students from other area colleges, and the Science Colloquia, a forum of discussion of scientific papers, books on scientific discoveries, and biographies of scientists to promote interest in the sciences. [unreadable] [unreadable]